1. Getting free samples in the mail
2. dried flowers
3. kaleidoscopes
4. root beer
5. This cat:

1. A refreshing change of pace
2. reconnecting with relatives
3. painting happy, little trees
4. banana bread
5. hot chocolate

Monday

The good thing, no, the awesome thing about having internet access at home again is that I can post on my blog whenever I feel like it. For instance, it’s almost two in the morning right now, and what am I doing? Noooo, not making a needlepoint of Joseph Stalin. I’m posting on my blog.

Posting whenever I want is exceedingly beneficial with the messed up schedule I’ve had for the past couple of days. Since I have two totally dissimilar part time jobs, one that is the graveyard shift on the weekends and one that is during the day three times a week, time tends to get a bit wonky for me. To exhibit this, here’s a timeline of the past couple of days.

7:00 AM – Got off from work and headed home with the full intention of going to sleep right away.

9:00 AM – Stopped playing on the computer and hopped in the shower.

12:00 PM – Stopped playing on the computer again and went to bed.

5:00 PM – Alarm clock sounded because I wanted to get some stuff done and needed to go back to sleep later that night before going to work the next morning.

5:01 PM – Drifted back to sleep.

10:00 PM – Got up to get something to eat.

10:35 PM – Watched “The Tonight Show WITH CONAN O’BRIEN”.

11:30 ish – Dozed off on the couch again.

Tuesday

2:oo AM – Woke up and watched the later episode of “The Tonight Show WITH CONAN O’BRIEN” while drifting in and out of sleep.

3:00 AM – Went grocery shopping. It was awkward being there so late.

3:30 AM – Did the dishes while listening to BBC Radio online. Why was I listening to BBC Radio? I have no idea. It’s really random. I’ve been listening to it lately for some unknown reason. I think I just like hearing people with British accents speak.

4:00 AM – Created a Facebook account and ate a couple grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, I was the last person on Earth not on Facebook.

5:30 AM – Stopped playing on the computer once again and went back to bed.

7:30 AM – Woke up to get ready for work.

9:00 AM – Went to work.

5:30 PM – Left work, went home, ate dinner. In that order.

6:30 PM – Laid down for a “nap” because I had a headache.

10:00 PM – Woke up. Still had a headache and additionally had heartburn so I had to run to the store to get medicine for both.

10:35 PM – Watched “The Tonight Show WITH CONAN O’BRIEN”. Afterward, started to play on the computer again.

Which brings me to right now. And since I’m off from both of my jobs tomorrow, I’m sure my schedule will continue to be weird through tomorrow as well. My life is strange sometimes.

On a completely unrelated note, my cat is in trouble right now for being a bad kitty. She has torn up the fabric on the underside of my bed AGAIN. She had done it a couple of months ago and I mended it by sewing some fabric scraps onto the torn part.

I wouldn’t have cared about it being torn because no one ever sees under my bed, except for the fact that she always seemed to scratch at it while I was trying to sleep, thus annoying the crap out of me. Plus, she had made a hole in the fabric big enough for her to climb through and started actually climbing into the box spring. I kept envisioning her getting stuck in the box spring and I think everyone can agree that a cat stuck in a box spring mattress is not a good thing.

About a week ago I heard scratching noises coming from under my bed and I knew what was going on. Sure enough, she’s torn it again and I’m going to have to mend the stupid thing so that she doesn’t try getting into the box spring again. So she’s in a lot of trouble right now. Her punishment? I’m going to vacuum. The vacuum drives her nuts. Nevermind that I was going to vacuum anyways.

1. Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes
2. ruby slippers
3. making crafts out of felt
4. Electric Light Orchestra
5. teddy bears

My work schedule has changed, so I didn’t realize it was Monday. Couple that with the fact I have a bad cold and the result is that I forgot about Monday Happy Thoughts until just now. Whoops.

1. internet access (I have it at home again, yay!)
2. meditation
3. Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (A fantastic show, new season premieres tonight)
4. grilled cheese sandwiches
5. This…

Because it’s so ridiculously cold out, here’s some warm happy thoughts.

1. relaxing next to a fireplace on a cold winter’s night
2. warm, sunny beaches
3. new mittens
4. Spring
5. a piping hot bowl of stew (I picked stew instead of soup because, in my opinion, stew kicks soup’s ass.)

Have a warm, happy Monday.

On Christmas Eve a blizzard hit Oklahoma. A blizzard. In Oklahoma. It’s unheard of, but apparently not impossible. Here’s a few things I learned from that once in a lifetime blizzard.

1. There are only about 8 or 9 snow shovels in the entire state of Oklahoma. Everyone had to share.
2. It takes about an hour for three people to shovel enough of a small parking lot to be able to drive in and out of it using only a shovel (the non-snow kind), a bucket and a small trash can.
3. Oklahoma firemen either already knew how to put chains on the tires of their trucks or they had to find out.
4. Just because you have a big truck doesn’t mean you’re going to be able to drive in the snow.
5. A white Christmas isn’t always a good thing. In fact, sometimes it ruins Christmas plans.
6. hills + snow = total suckitude
7. Most people who use the term “high center”, as in, “I high centered my car,” don’t actually know what the term means.
8. Even when you live in a state that only sees snowstorms once everyone twenty years, it’s still a good idea to own at least one outfit of winter clothes.
9. When there is only one runway open at the airport, it’s still possible to fly in from Florida.

Today’s will have to be short and sweet because I’m exhausted.

1) anything NOT associated with a blizzard

Hopefully that makes you as happy and it makes me.

1) Early Christmas presents
2) Coming home to a warm house on a cold winter day
3) Blessings in disguise
4) Gingerbread houses
5) comfy socks

Have a happy Monday and a merry Christmas everyone!

If you’re like me, you’ve heard more than your fair share of Christmas songs lately. Some good, some bad. This got me to thinking about what my favorite Christmas songs are. And well, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without a list. Wait….I don’t really know what that last bit meant, but here’s a list of the top ten greatest Christmas songs ever….as determined by me, off the top of my head.



10. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms

Sure it’s got a nice beat and you can dance to it, but I think it’s the guitar that makes it. From the opening guitar riff, it grabs you, makes you want to put on some bobby socks and dance all night at the Christmas hop.

9. Little St. Nick by the Beach Boys

Beach music + Chrismas = winter doesn’t seem quite so cold

Every time I hear this song, my head automatically starts bobbing from side to side. My favorite line is “Christmas comes this time each year,” because it always makes me think that someone needs to tell that to the people doing last minute shopping on Christmas Eve.

8. Last Christmas by Wham!

The best use of synthesizers in a Christmas song. Ever. Plus, it’s so pop-y you almost don’t realize it’s about heartbreak.

7. Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley

It’s the King. That’s all you need to know.

6. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland

There have been plenty of renditions of this song, but I think Judy’s is my favorite. It’s like there is a combination of sorrow and hope in her voice. Not many can do that.

5. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee

It’s sort of the same thing as “Jingle Bell Rock,” but it’s got a saxophone solo in the middle and Brenda Lee’s staccato singing style, so that makes it better.

4. White Christmas by Bing Crosby

It’s a classic sung by one of the masters of classics. And who doesn’t dream of a white Christmas?

3. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 by the Trans Siberian Orchestra

I know, it’s a really catchy title. You probably recognize it better as a medley of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Carol of the Bells.” Or as “That one instrumental Christmas song that rocks!”

2. Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie

Sort of an odd song from an odd musical pairing. The story behind it goes that Bowie wasn’t happy with singing “Little Drummer Boy” for Bing Crosby’s Christmas television special, so they wrote the “Peace on Earth” part to appease him. Even at Christmas, Bowie could be a diva. I love it.

1. Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

“War is over, if you want it.” Just as relevant today as it was when the song was first released. It reminds us that the spirit of Christmas, that of love, generosity, hope, and joy, is for everyone.



Well, that’s my list. So what’s your favorite Christmas song(s)?